Cape Horn

Our cruise ship rounded Cape Horn en route to Ushuaia from the South Shetland islands. We were expecting a call from the Chilean Coast Guard warning us to stay at least 12 nautical miles away, but we got within 5 nautical miles of it and still no word from them. As we turned to head towards the tip of Argentina, they belatedly radioed us and asked for some basic info about the ship. The only explanation we have, perhaps, is that it was New Year´s Day and perhaps they´d had an exciting night before?

In any case, fun fun to see a piece of history! (and no, the water was not that rough – at least not any rougher than the rest of the Drake Passage!)

On a voyage from Kobe in Japan, to Rosario in Argentina, the merchant ship I was working on, passed West to East around Cape Horn. It was in June 1994, their winter but the weather was no worse than Force 7 on the Beaufort Scale, a little choppy, the sun was low in the sky and there was snow on the peaks of the mountains of Tierra del Feugo.

I had hoped to travel through the Magellan Straits instead but the shipping company would not pay the $5000 pilotage fee. Either way we had an interesting trip and it’s good to be able to say I’ve been there.

Went around Cape Horn 4 times on a 90 000 tonne liner.

It is rough sometimes. But at least you can say you have been here.

I want to visit here as part of my campaign to “stick my Toe” in the ocean at the most southern points of each of the world’s major landmasses….So far I’ve been to Lands End in Tasmania (South of Cockle Creek)and Cape Agulas in South Africa

It was interesting to say the least. We rounded it by boat and unfortunately for me I became very sea sick. Usually when you round Cape Horn it is quite choppy. If you are not sea sick go for it!